


Who's Your Daddy?

by burlesque_articulation



Category: Borderlands
Genre: Baby!Angel au, M/M, au by Shadow_Fear!, little Angel tries playing matchmaker, rhys is a bit of a tool, some of it's so sweet you might get a toothache
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 05:26:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5993121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burlesque_articulation/pseuds/burlesque_articulation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Angel is roughly 2-4, and since Jack's a workaholic, she doesn't really get the amount attention she wants. So naturally, Angel finds someone who will pay attention to her. Intro; Rhys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shadow_Fear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow_Fear/gifts).



> This has been adapted from my Tumblr where I wrote this for user shadowfear-art ((Shadow_Fear)) who created the lovely baby!angel au!

 

Rhys was lazily working away in his small office as middle manager for the multibillion dollar corporation, Hyperion. Though middle manager wasn't the most exciting job- nor funnest- he enjoyed the silence that usually came with all the paper. Paperwork being one of the downsides though. His eyes were perusing over a file in front of him, metallic fingers drumming the top of his desk rhythmically as he rested his chin on his more fleshy hand, a cozy relaxed atmosphere in the room. Which soon changed when a sudden jolt of electric shock shot up his leg, causing Rhys to push back from his desk, chair wheels rolling effortlessly on the clean office tiled floor.

Staring in wide-eyed confusion at what had caused the unusual anomaly, Rhys' gaze was met by a blue-eyed dark haired child. Well, more of a toddler, really. They sat there, blinking expectantly at Rhys, yawning and rubbing their one eye with one hand while holding a blue stained arm out to him. "Up."

Rhys gave the child a queer look, squinting a bit. "How did-?"

The little girl just yawned again, eyelids dropping, her head bending forward a bit before she tried to hold it up. "Up?" She mumbled tiredly in a small voice.

“Okay, okay…” Rhys frowned a bit as he pulled the little girl out from under his desk, cradling her in his lap. “Better?”

She hummed happily, sticking a thumb in her mouth and nuzzling up against him.

"W-wow there, little one, I don't-" She gave another yawn- which come out as more of a squeak, thumb still lodged in her mouth before she apparently drifted off to sleep.

Rhys was stumped. And absolutely flabbergasted. Where had this child even come from? And who was even her parent? Rhys frowned, pursing his lips in thought, his features finally melting as the child sighed in her sleep. Blowing out a long exhale himself, he relaxed back in his chair, cradling the resting girl tenderly. There wasn't excels a lot he could do while she was sleeping, now was there?

Deciding to just let it be while the child slept, Rhys had stopped paying such fickle attention to the resting child, returning back to reading his file, swirling his chair from side to side in a soothing manor thoughtlessly as he read. The words in front of him didn't actually compute as his mind wandered instead. Shouldn't he make mention of the child to someone? Check the ECHOnet in case someone was looking for her? He bit his lip, his frown returning. He wasn't exactly the most desirable person for taking care of child, after all. Especially not one so young.

Leaning back in his chair again he continued to sway the chair from side to side. Left to right, then right to left, then back again. Thank again. And again. Again, again, again... Rhys was beginning to doze of himself, and had to stop, planting both feet firmly on the floor. He needed to focus, not take a nap. A determined look crossed his features only for it to melt away as he 'awed' at the tiny human that curled one of little hands around his tie and shaking her head in her sleep, as if trying to get closer against him then she already was.

Honestly, who gave this child the right to be so darn cute!

* * *

Handsome Jack. A man of many talents. One of them being fucking _terrifying_ when he was pissed. Which he currently was, _if_ you didn't get that. That stupid, useless R &D team had fucked up a perfectly good supply of eriduim. Again. Jack was positively seething as he sat slumped in his cushiony golden seat, one hand rubbing against his forehead in agitation while the other drummed acidly against the armrest, feet kicked up on his grand desk. He was tempted to airlock the lot of them for screwing up again, but nerds were becoming more and more of a limited thing.

Lucky for them, he mused looking over his desk until his eyes rested on the framed photo of his little girl, only taken around half a year ago. He needed to go see her soon, before she was completely corrupted by the loader bots he had reprogrammed to be her nannies. The last thing he needed was his offspring walking around rigidly beeping and booping like a mechanical tool.

Letting out an aggressive breath, Jack glared at his computer monitor as it hummed to life due to an echo call. "What?" He asked through his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut, his jaw set like stone.

"Hello, sir, it is about Angel." Came the calm lifeless voice of a loaderbot, the only thing in existence that neglected to have hesitance in their tone when speaking to him.

"What about Angel, Loader?"

"She's gone."

Jack blinked, staring at the screen blankly, his mind ticking slowly, not taking in the information at first. "What. Do you mean. ' _She's gone._ '?"

"She is not in her rooms. We cannot find her. She is not here." The Loader responded, voice lacking any tone at all, now more agitating to Jack's ears then it ever had been before.

He was seething before, but now? Now he was vehemently pissed the fuck off.

* * *

 

"So your name is Angel, is it?"

"Yeah!" The little girl rocked from side to side as she sat wide awake in Rhys' desk chair while he leaned against his desk, arms crossed against his chest, one foot nestled behind the other. "Name?"

"Oh, um, I'm Rhys." The little girl- Angel -had woken up roughly five minutes ago, and had spent her first two minutes awake just poking around Rhys' office before he could convince her to sit down and talk to him.

"Rice!"

"N-no. Rhys. Ree-s."

"ReeeeICE." She kicked her legs happily, abandoning her rocking motion to instead bounce up and down on the spot.

Rhys just subtly shook his head, eating a sigh before shifting his position and clearing his throat. "Okay, close enough... Um, Angel, may I ask how old you are?"

"Old? Um... I'm no old."

"Yes, yeah, no, uh, what's your age?"

She frowned for a moment, then her face lit up. "Oh! Mm!" She held up a thumb from one hand, and two fingers from the other. "But 'm a'most four! Dat's what daddy says!"

Rhys perked up at the mention of Angel's parentage. "Oh? Speaking of, do you know where your daddy is now?" Rhys asked, becoming increasingly more aware of the fact that the longer this child stayed with him, the worse it could possibly escalate. She was adorable, but he wasn't really interested in being accused of kidnapping. It had been roughly an hour since she'd mystically appeared, so it would be an easy fix, or whatever it was that involved returning a missing child to their parent before accusations of kidnapping them bubbled up.

"I'uhno." She over dramatically shrugged, then smiling brightly and went back to swaying from side to side again.

Rhys' heart sank a bit. "Oh, um, okay, do you know where he works? R&D? Accounting? HR?"

"I'uhno."

Alright... "Do you know what he looks like?"

"Yeah!" She replied with an encouraging smile.

"Good, good, can you tell me what he looks like?"

"My daddy!" She giggled with a huge grin, clapping her hands together.

Rhys pressed his hands together and held them against his lips, as if to make sure nothing unsatisfactory slipped out. "Really..." He hummed, a polite smile plastered on his face.

Angel was nothing but big smiles until it disappeared, her eyes growing wide, and almost sparkling, as she looked up at Rhys with a newfound interest. She hurriedly pushed her off the chair, legs nearly buckling under her, making Rhys jolt forward, holding his arms out to catch her should she fall. "You wong like me!" She cried, grabbing at his cybernetic arm that was right within her grasp now.

Rhys frowned, standing awkwardly with is knees bent and rear pressed against the edge of his desk. "How'd you mean?"

She shrugged her one blue splattered arm. "You wong. Diffent wong, but wong."

Rhys knelt down on one knee, poking at her arm. It was flesh, not steel like his, and the blue markings were what Rhys could only assume were tattoos, or maybe just an incredibly detailed birthmark of sorts. "There's nothing wrong with you, Angel." Rhys said, almost defensively for her, squeezing her shoulder lightly in comfort.

"Yes dere is. Docs say it a birf def.. def..."

"Birth defect?"

"Mm." She frowned in concentration as her tiny hands fiddled with Rhys' fake arm, picking at all the curves and indents in the metal. "Arm... It?"

"Metal. Well, cybernetic is the proper term. It's not my real arm, I wasn't born with this, I uh, sort of volunteered to have this done..." Rhys admitted, then took his hand off her shoulder, tapping the sleek metal so she could hear the tink-tink of finger nail on metal. "But this," here he pointed his index finger to the side of his temple, "I got because I had a birth defect just like you. Well, not just like you."

"Diffent birf defet?"

"Yeah, after I was born, a doctor found out that I had _Retinoblastoma_. They had to remove my whole eye because of it, that way it wouldn't..." He began without thinking, but stopped abruptly when he noticed the confused horror crossing the girl's soft features.

"Is docs gonna take my arm?" She asked in a quiet, terrified voice.

"Oh no, no, no!" Rhys quickly shook his head, placing his hand back on her shoulder to comfort her as she looked near to tears. "No, no, little one. Your arm will be just fine, _Retinoblastoma_ only affects eyes, and it's very rare too. No, your arm has what's called a birthmark. A very beautiful one, too." Rhys smiled kindly, giving her shoulder a light squeeze.

"Birf mark?" She tilted her head, blinking, her mind seeming to wander away from its previous terror. "You don't fink I'm wong?"

"For having a birthmark? No, little one. Having a birthmark, or any kind of birth defect, doesn't make someone wrong, it's just another part of you that makes you who you are. Has someone said that you're wrong because of your birthmark, Angel?" Rhys asked, taking a seat on the floor in front of her and giving her his full attention.

Angel's gaze shifted back to his arm where she continued to feel over the smooth surface, the cold material against her small warm fingers. "Mummy would 'for she 'eft. She say it was daddy's faut 'cuz he was wong too."

Rhys felt his stomach knot up in sympathy. Biting his tongue, he took her blue stained hand in his own, drawing her eyes back to him. "There is nothing wrong with you, Angel. Now, what do you say we go find your daddy, okay?"

Angel still had a sad expression on her face as she regarded his sincere expression. A small smile crossed her face as she gave a short nod. "Okay, Rice."

"Alright then." Rhys gave her hand a squeeze before letting go so he could push himself up, which he then became aware of how he was practically crammed underneath his desk, Angel still not moving away as he twisted from side to side looking for a way to turn so he could get up. "Uh... You think you could give me a hand up, actually?"

* * *

People say that the longer you remain angry about something, the longer you think on it, the less angry you tend to be by the time everything was resolved. Well that wasn't the fucking case here. Jack's fury had done nothing but grow more and more since the news of his daughter going missing. He'd even torn apart her rooms himself, searching it from top to fucking bottom trying to find her. He'd checked the security cameras again and again and again, but they showed nothing. There wasn't even a time lapse that would indicate tampering. And he checked for any kind of that too. Nothing. It's was like she just fucking up and disappeared into thin-fucking-air.

Security detail? Air locked.

The useless R&D team? Stalker food for the next week.

Helios? On the tightest lockdown since Dahl had tried to fuck it in the ass a few years back.

The loaderbots that had been programmed specifically to not let her out of their sight? Well, Jack was currently listening to their mechanical screams of agony as he had them strapped down to a conveyor belts headed slowly legs first toward a grinder while they were drenched in corrosive liquid.

Today was not a good day.

"Have you found her?" Jack snapped into his EchoComm the moment the screen lit up.

"No. But workers are starting to get jumpy about the lockdown, Sir. Some are even starting to get physical, thinking it might be Dahl back for another go. Sir, I think we sho-"

"No, _fuck_ the workers. I want her found, and I want it done _yesterday_. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-Yes, sir." The line died. As did the wretched cries of the loaders.

"I'm not hearing anyone screaming." Jack shouted, turning around to glare at the short, timid looking technician that stood holding a clipboard like it was the only thing that could save him from the man's wraith.

"A-all of the loaders have been disposed off, sir." He squeaked.

"Well, then you'd better go find some more, huh, pumpkin? That or you can strap yourself to the conveyer belt, I don't really care. Point is, if this room isn't filled with someone's agonizing wails in the next, oh I'm gonna say six seconds, it will be you going next. Capiche?"

The pure unadulterated terror in the man's face was almost enough to put Jack in a better mood. Almost. "Y-yes, sir, right away!"

Jack looked back down at his Echo, expecting either a call or short message from the search teams that she'd been found. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. "Your six seconds have just fuckin' expired, kiddo." Jack sucked on his teeth, the technician froze in their spot where they'd just booted up a loader digi-structor, their face paler then the deepest crater on Elpis.

* * *

Rhys had managed to make it to the nearest elevator before Angel had began to refuse to walk, insisting that Rhys carry her instead. And by insist, she sat on the floor and refused to move or say anything until Rhys asked if she expected him to carry her. And that was how he ended up holding the girl against his back piggy-back style while they continued to wait for the lift to finally reach their level. They, or rather Rhys, decided that the Hub was the best place to start.

"Uh oh." Angel whispered against his back, arms tightening around his neck.

"What?" Rhys twisted his neck, eyes catching on a large group of armed security personal down the hall to his left who seemed to be looking his way. "Angel..."

"Eevator open!" Angel kicked her legs into his sides urging him to dragging his eyes away from the group and head into the open doors. To his surprise, the moment they were inside, Angel slid down his back and started to hit random buttons before she started aggressively hitting the one that closed the doors faster.

"Angel-"

"Someone hold that door!" Rhys heard someone yell from outside the elevator before the doors slid up and the lift jolted before it began its descent.

"Angel?"

"Mm, mm, mmm." She hummed along to the calm elevator music, her head swaying from side to side.

"Angel?"

"Rice?"

"No, Angel-"

"No, Rice."

"Stop that."

"Stop that."

"The law of three states that whatever someone puts out there, good or bad, it will return to them threefold."

She opened her mouth, then closed it, puffing up her chubby cheeks. "No fair." She whined, crossing her arms and pouting.

Rhys considered apologizing, but he really needed to ask her about what had just happened. "Who were those people, Angel?"

"I'uhno. Daddy's I fink."

Rhys frowned, then asked, "Are you saying they work for you dad?"

"Yeah, I fink."

"Do you think your dad is looking for you, then?"

"No. He busy. A'ways is, no time for me." She sniffed.

Rhys sighed, holding his arms out to her so she came over to him, accepting his offered hug. "That's usually how it is when you work for a corporation like Hyperion."

"You have time." She pointed out as Rhys lifted her up, holding her against him.

"Yes, but I am also a stranger."

"No, you Rice." She mumbled against his shoulder.

Rhys smirked, tucking one arm under her bum, the other resting against the flat of her back so she wouldn't slip down or fall backwards. "That's not what I meant." He pointed out, then thought to ask something as the elevator came to a stop at one of the random floors that Angel had hit the button for. "How'd you find me, by the way?"

"I'uhno. A'one all time... I don like it. I want friend i fink... You friend?"

Rhys felt that familiar knot of sympathy in his stomach again. "Yes, Angel. I'll be your friend. But that means you have to be honest with me, okay? You have to trust me, and I'll trust you too. Okay?"

"Okay, Rice."

"Okay." Rhys patted her back as the elevator doors slid shut and the began to descend again.

* * *

"So you saw her, and what? You just watched her go? Are you that incompetent that a fucking three year old got by you?"

"N-no..." Their voice shook over the EchoComm, likely because they could feel their life speeding towards its gruesome end. "She wasn't alone, Sir. There was someone with her. Male, tall, brown hair."

Jack remained silent as he thought on this. "Where are they headed."

"We don't know. We got someone to the floor where they should've gotten off the elevator, but they weren't there. They either got off the elevator before then, or we just missed them. I have teams spread out over every floor that the elevator could have opened up to."

"By that you mean you've locked down the whole sector, right? Stopped all elevators, gotten full access to all the cameras, right?"

The lack of an immediate ' _yes_ ' ignited his anger. "Well, w-we're a little short on manpower right now-"

"And brainpower apparently. No get that area locked up tighter then a white politician's bank account or you'll be short a few more men, starting with _your_ stupid ass." Jack disconnected without another word, grinding his teeth until he was sure they were nothing more then little nubs. How could they be so incompetent? And what the hell were they thinking? Calling him up only to say that they'd seen her? What good did that do him, or anyone? People were just asking for reasons to test their mortality today. Starting with whoever the fuck was parading around with his daughter.

He had long left the grinder behind and was back to pacing in his office where he'd cancelled all coming and goings of shuttles, disconnected all fast travels, and jammed the space stations ECHOnet so no signals could be received or sent out, except from within the station itself. If it was Dahl coming back for another taste of Hyperion Spirit, well, Handsome-Fucking-Jack was going to give them one hell of a hello when he caught the sonofabitch.

 


	2. Chapter 2

With thoughts of the strangeness that occurred before the elevator had descended pushed into the back of his mind, Rhys had still begun feeling a mounting tension in the air around the office spaces he and Angel passed, and how unusually quiet – and empty – the halls were. On the bright side, the pair had made it down to the transit without much pause.

The platform was empty save for the shuttle driver and a security officer, who held up a pausing hand to Rhys before he and Angel could board. “Ah, sorry, but this sector is on lockdown. No one goes in or out. ‘Fraid I’ll have to ask that you return the way you came.”

“A lockdown? Is that why everyone’s more uptight then usual?” Rhys initiated a light conversation.

The officer shrugged, putting one hand on her hip and dragging a hand through her short blonde curls. “Yeah, well, that’s what I was told anyways. ‘Course no one ever thinks to actually tell me anythin’ more then that.”

Rhys sucked in a knowing breath, nodding his head slowly. “I feel that. Sucks though that we can’t be heading out. Sorry, little one.” Rhys looked down meeting Angel’s gaze, squeezing her hand lightly in his own.

“Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Where were ya headed though? If you don’t mind me askin’ ‘course.” The officer put out there, tucking her arms against her chest as she offered Angel a kind smile, who in turn moved closer to Rhys, giving his hand a squeeze.

“We were just headed to the Hub, it’s fine. We’ll just be heading back.”

Rhys tossed his head casually in the direction he and Angel had come.

“But I’m hungry…” Angel whispered, gripping onto Rhys’ pant leg,her voice so small Rhys almost hadn’t caught it.

Pity welled up in the officer’s eyes as Rhys forced a flustered smile before he crouched down to Angel’s height, wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her up. “A lockdown is a lockdown, sweetheart. It’ll probably lift soon anyways, okay?” Rhys noticed the officer looking down at the EchoComm she held before she nodded to herself.

“Um, hey wait… This shuttle is actually headed to the Hub to stay until the lockdown is lifted, and I’m going off with it… an’ even if the shops are closed down, you’ll be right on your way to the living quarters. I don’t see why you two can’t tag along?”

Rhys’ eyebrows rose as he turned back to face the officer. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want you to get in any kind of trouble, Miss…”

“Karen, call me Karen. An’ I’m sure no one would be angry at me for helpin’ out a man and his little girl. Get aboard, I’ll tell the driver to push off, alright?” She smiled, then turned to give the shuttle driver the word.

As Rhys opened his mouth to correct the woman, Angel wiggled out of his grasp and skipped onto the shuttle, emitting a thrilled ‘yay!’ Before adding, “C’mon, Rice!”

Rhys pursed his lips, following after with a grumpy expression. “Alright, alright, settle down. Just because there’s room to run doesn’t mean we can’t just sit down and have a rest instead, okay?”

“What?” Angel had made it the length of the end of the transit car and halfway back before pausing, cocking her head to the side and giving Rhys a quizzical look.

“You don’t need to run around. Come sit, please.” Rhys patted the empty spot next to him.

“Mm, no.” She giggled, twirling around the passenger pole clumsily.

The security officer, Karen, chuckled as she entered the car, the exit doors sliding shut noiselessly behind her. “Troubles?” She asked, taking a seat across the aisle from Rhys.

“No, no. She’s been like this for the better part of the day.” He sighed, sitting back, attention still on Angel. “You could at least sit down while the train gets going so you don’t fall down.”

Angel, who’d taken up walking over the seats like they were a tight rope, stopped directly in front of Rhys, puffing out her cheeks then blowing out a sigh. “Okay…” She said in defeat before spinning around and dropping herself in his empty lap. “I sit.”

Rhys shook his head, trying to hide a smile. “I knew you’d come around.”

Though her primary expression put across that she didn’t really understand all of what he’d just said, she still blew a raspberry at him, that he didn’t hesitate to return, tickling her side and making her giggle.

Karen smiled across the way, crossing one leg over the other at the knee as the shuttle finally started moving. Sitting forward she commented, “You two are so adorable together.”

Rhys shrugged, features relaxed as Angel shifted around to face forwards in his lap. “It’s all her, really.”

“Mm. Uh, sorry I didn’ ask sooner, but I don’t think I caught your name?”

“Oh, yeah, it’s-”

“Rice!” Angel interjected, resting her head back and looking up at Rhys with large happy eyes and a wide grin.

“- Rhys. It’s Rhys.” He corrected, poking Angel lightly in the tummy.

“Rhys… That’s a nice name! And what about you sweetie? What’s your name?”

“Angel.” Angel replied, pulling Rhys’ hands onto her lap and pressing her palms to him, paying now real attention to the blonde woman.

“Oh, that’s a pretty name. Did your mommy give it to you?”

Rhys stiffened, Angel however, did not change in her blatant disregard for the woman. “No, daddy did. Mummy ‘eft.”

Karen looked from Angel to Rhys, a remorseful expression across her face. “I am so sorry, oh, I just keep messin’ up today, don’t I? Oh goodness…”

“I-it’s alright.” Rhys said awkwardly. This was really getting a little out of hand…

Karen nodded, but the sympathy remained in her gaze as she addressed Angel again. “Well, it’s still a lovely name. It really is. And I’m sure you and your daddy are very happy together, right? Oh, of course…”

Rhys’ forced smile started to falter as Karen started going a little overboard in efforts to fix what she seemed to see as an irredeemable mistake. Angel however, didn’t seem to notice the growing awkwardness in the shuttle car. “Mhmm, me, Daddy, and Rice! Super happy!” She bounced, making Rhys’ hands clap together.

A frown crossed Karen’s face that reflected in Rhys’ own, until it clicked. “I’m Rice.” He said more to himself then to the blonde, who was still looking a little lost.

It was then that Angel let out a tiny gasp. “Dat mean TWO daddies!” She said in an aghast whisper.

“Oh! I see, how lucky are you?”

“Lots!” Angel cheered, at last making eye contact with the security officer.

“’Course Daddy a’ways let me do anyfin I want. Rice don’t.” She pouted, leaning her head back to look at Rhys with big eyes again.

“Well, I guess that just means I’m the more responsible one.” Rhys commented without properly letting the progression of the situation sink in.

“What’s ‘reponsib’ mean?”

Rhys blanked for a good couple of seconds, now aware that he’d more-or-less just bashed a man he’d never met, and who also happened to be this little girl’s father. Whoopsie. “Uh, it, uh… Well, it means when someone, uh… Y’know, does stuff, and thinks about that stuff before they do that stuff…” Rhys trailed off, feeling Karen’s sympathetic eye on him.

“Okay.” Angel hummed in a bored, completely disinterested tone.

Silence enveloped the shuttle for the rest of the way, save for Angel’s tuneless humming and the soothing sound of steel gliding over electric rails. Rhys couldn’t have been more thankful for that.

* * *

“Sir, it’s Fitz, sir.”

Jack, who’d taken up lounging in the golden chair in his office again - very similarly to how he had been before this whole fiasco had taken place, expect his one hand was tucked under his chin rather then holding his resting brow – looked up at the holo screen. “Is your name s’posed to mean somethin’ to me?” Jack asked in obvious distaste.

“No. However, I might have news about the whereabouts of the targets. As my predecessor had failed to properly shut off this sector, I can guarantee that the pair are no longer in this area. They are however, somewhere in the Hub of Heroism, to which I’ve already taken the liberty of closing off and docking all transit lines to and from, Sir. As we speak, I am having multiple teams start from the outer districts and work their way toward the Central Hub. I figured you ought to know that there is a possibility that that is where they may either be headed, or already be, if they are in fact on a run of sorts.”

Jack sat up, feet planting firmly on the ground as his hands rested comfortably on the armrests of his chair. He allowed an impressed look cross his features. The first good news he’d heard all fucking day. “Congrats, kiddo, you just your ass a get-out-of-death free card. Can’t say the same for you old captain though. He’s like, super dead already. Got eyes on the cameras?”

“Yessir. I have what people I can spare from the search teams on that already.”

“Good boy- or girl… I can never tell with those stupid ass uniforms you all wear. Good job, worker, I guess.”

“Um… Were you not the one who decided on this as our uniform, Sir?”

“Duh, and you all look fucking dumb. It’s hilarious.” Jack had a good laugh before sitting forward and slamming his hands down on his desk, causing the image of Fitz to jitter. Either because they legitimately jumped themself, or because Jack had actually managed to make the holo screen move. “Now, enough chit-chat, find them. And I want to deal with this fucking bandit myself, so let me know the moment you have their exact location. Got it?”

“I got it.”

Jack nodded, turning his chair to get up, only to find the link hadn’t been disconnected yet. “Are you deaf? I just-”

“I- I know, sir, sorry, sir, but when I said ‘I got it’, I literally meant I got it. I have their exact location on camera, that coupled with the report I received from an officer that confirmed they were somewhere in the Hub, I can safely say that they’re in the Central Hub. Almost directly outside of your office actually… Sir. Shall I send you a feed?”

Despite his initial desire to bitch about being cut off, the reasoning was more than enough to satiate his growing bloodlust. For now. “Thank you, Frats. It’d be just peachy if you could do that for me, pumpkin. And while your at it, lift that lockdown on everywhere but the centre.”

The officer frowned, but they still nodded. “Yessir. What should be done after that?”

“Absolutely nothing. You may have your teams guard access to the centre if you wish, but once I’ve had a look at this bastard, I fully intend to head down there myself. Ciao.”

The image of Fitz faded and was replaced with a live feed of the Central Hub. After some teasing of the camera’s focal point, Jack was able to easily find his daughter, walking hand in hand with some lanky guy like she were his kid. Jack continued to watch, turning up the volume on his speakers, cancelling out anything that wasn’t the two as the dude lead her toward the only open shop. A café of sorts.

“No.”

“What do you mean, no? Didn’t you say you were hungry? Back on the platform?”

“No.” Jack watched as his little girl smiled, pulling away from the guy.

“Play!”

The guy rolled his eyes, but didn’t actually look surprised by the turn of events. “We’re supposed to be here trying to find your daddy, remember, Angel? Hopefully clear things up before anything gets out of hand…” The said in a lower tone that Jack almost didn’t hear. _To fucking late, buddy…_

“Play!”

The guy looked around at the practically empty court, then looked back down to her. “Alright, I guess we can play, but then we have to find your dad. Okay?”

“Play!” Angel jumped up and down, clapping her hands, then took off without another word, catching him off guard.

“Angel! Angel wait!” The man took off after her.

Jack followed them via camera until they were running around in one of the small green parks that were set up in various places around the Hub. Jack was beginning to piece together what had actually happened to cause this whole disaster, and it had everything to do with the peculiar birthmark his daughter had. The underlying point being, it was time for Handsome Jack to make his appearance.


	3. Chapter 3

As Jack made his way down to the Central Hub. He’d given that Frits person the task of scanning the man with his daughter. What came back was a small, but decent, sized document on a Hyperion employee named Rhys Sutherland, working in middle management. Nothing very serious came up other then the few expected infractions from any average Hyperion worker.

“What are you up to, Angel?” Jack mused as the lift came to an elegant stop before it’s doors slid open to reveal the bright, spacious Hub of Heroism. Which had surprisingly been named that before Jack’s hostile take over of both the space station and the entire company itself. But that wasn’t really important, now was it?

To his delight, the Hub was practically barren of life. Not that it mattered per-say. Without his usual two body guards and an always-different-from-the-last PA, he didn’t nearly have as much of a presence, and was rarely ever noticed. Not that people ever really paid much attention to anything that wasn’t five centimeters from their noses. What was actually delightful about it was he wouldn’t have to murder his way through a crowd. Not that he was ever opposed to doing so. It was kind of a fifty/fifty way to pass the time usually.

Jack walked briskly to where he’d marked off a small green park, usually only there for aesthetic purposes as it was filled with nothing real, only synthetic crap to help distract people from the fact that they were actually floating around in fucking space. But, to be fair, weren’t planets just technically floating around in space too? Although, there was a more minuscule chance of an entire planet exploding he supposed. Whatever, wasn’t important.

He walked slowly and carefully along the pathway until he caught sight of the two at the very centre of the area where there were less trees and more room to fool around. He stood up against a fake tree nearest to where they were. It could almost have been described as awkward, the feeling that gripped him as he watched his daughter goof around with the lanky brunette, seemingly having the time of her life.

“I’ve got you now!” The guy, Rhys, said as he picked her up and swung her around carefully, making her scream in glee.

“No! No-ooooo…” She tried to say between fits of laughter.

Rhys was smiling himself as he slowly spun her back down to the ground, standing back upright and stumbling in place a bit. “Thank you for flying Air-Rhys.”

“Rice! Rice!” Angel chanted in reply.

“Fine, fine. Thank you, little lady, for flying Air-Rice.” He smirked, tousling her hair and then tweaking her nose. Putting his hands on his hips he straightened out again, now surveying the area- his gaze just nearly catching Jack before he ducked behind the tree. When he peeked back out from the behind the tree, the brunette had returned his gaze to Angel, with one brow raised. “Now, aren’t we supposed to be looking for someone?”

“No!” She squealed, jumping up and throwing herself into him, knocking him flat on his ass.

Rhys clenched his teeth, but still offered her a smile. “Come on, Angel. We can’t stay here forever.” He pointed out, poking her on the nose as she sat between his legs which were extended out lazily.

She didn’t say anything, only crossed her arms and blew a raspberry. It honestly shocked Jack. He’d never seen her act so animate around anyone really, aside from himself. She always seemed to treat everyone with the same bored expression, making them lucky if she even gave them a passing gaze. Who is this guy? Jack subconsciously moved around the tree to see his daughter more clearly, his leg scrapping against the synthetic bark and drawing Angel’s attention to him, and by extension the brunette’s.

Angel’s face blanked first as she watched him step out away from the tree’s cover, then a light clicked on in her eyes. “Daddy!”

Jack continued walking forward to meet her as she got up and ran toward him, flinging her tiny arms around his neck as he kneeled down to embrace her back. “What have you been up to, kiddo? It was very naughty of you to disappear like that, Angel.” He told her, holding her back at arms length so she could read how serious his expression was. Then his eyes darted to the younger man who’d gotten up and followed Angel over, carefully edging his way closer. “And who exactly might you be?” His tone dropped, become low and dangerous as he stood up to his full height. This close, dude was definitely tall, but just a touch shorter then Jack himself.

The younger man stared at him with recognition once he got a little closer. The smallest hint of fear present in his brown eye, the blue one remaining dull and expressionless, as did all EchoEyes. “So I take it you’re daddy.” Jack could pinpoint the exact moment regret had crossed his face after the words had left his mouth. “Her daddy, I mean- wait, no, father, her father, ha ha… ha ha ha…”

Jack watched with sick amusement as he tripped over himself, running a surprisingly shaky hand through his bronze hair. Jack hadn’t known nervousness could affect the performance of equipment like that. An interesting tidbit. “You can just call me Jack, sweetheart.” He interrupted, holding out a hand.

Rhys stared at the hand like it was a foreign concept he’d never been faced with before. It wasn’t until Angel lightly took hold of his fleshy hand and laid it in Jack’s that the handshake could commence. “Like dis, Rice.” She whispered loudly, patting their two hands in hers.

“Ah-hm. I see.” The lightest hue of pinks dazzled his paled cheeks as he cleared his throat. “I- uh, you can call me Rice- no, wait, I mean Rhys. I’m Rhys.”

Normally Jack despised the whole star-struck idiot routine, but this guy seemed to have the perfect mix of fear, respect, and confusion to actually be kinda adorable. Jack passed a quick look down at Angel who was giving him a look that caused him to give her a double take. _Cheeky little…_ Finally taking back his hand, Jack stood with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, pinning Rhys with a malicious stare. “So how is it that you crossed paths with my daughter, exactly?”

* * *

 

Rhys blinked as a primary response, looking down at Angel for some sort of a clue as to how he should respond. She merely smiled expectantly at him. Looking back up at the stoic wall before him, his mind drew a blank, the only answer surfacing was a mimic of something Angel had said early. “I'uhno.”

With the slight crease of Handsome Jack’s brow, Rhys watched his life flash before his eyes. Man, had it been a dull kaleidoscope of blah. What way was he going to end it off though? He didn’t exactly fancy being pummeled to death by the man’s large hands, but being slammed out an air-lock didn’t sound very desirable either. It was the sound of genuine laughter that brought Rhys back to the situation at hand.

“Oh, Angel, you sure pick the funny one’s, don’t you?” Handsome Jack shook his head, his two toned eyes alight with humour. His eyes… was that what Angel had meant? “Okay now, seriously, answer the question or I might lose my patience with you.”

Rhys’ heart lifted from the second wind, setting his mind in better order. “Ah, well… I don’t know how she did it, but… She just sort of, appeared?” God, he had to sound crazy.  
Jack only nodded, his previous stone-faced countenance returning. “Where? Was it just one second nothing, then boom, you had a baby?”

“Sort of… See, I was at my desk when I was basically electrocuted in the leg. When I looked, boom, baby.” Rhys made hand gestures to imply an explosion, which was a little far from an accurate depiction. He smiled awkwardly.

Jack continued to nod, shifting his gaze to Angel, who slowly bowed her head, looking down at her feet as she clasped her hands behind her back. “Angel, look at me.” She did so, but very slowly, looking up at her father with huge blue eyes through dark fringe. “What have I told you?”

“You love me?”

“Yes, what else?” Jack continued, but Rhys noticed the softening in his tone.

She sighed, swinging her arms and looking down. “I don’t do the scary thing.”

“Mhmm. And what did you do?”

“… the scary thing …”

Rhys had been rather engrossed in their little dispute, but was starting to feel that he was coming close to missing his opportunity to escape. He had shifted barely half a step when Jack’s gaze snapped back to him. He quickly retook his original spot, hands held tightly at ease as he stared back innocently. Jack squinted at him before returning his attention back to his daughter.

"Now what do you need to say, Angel?”

“Thank you?”

“No, the other other thing.”

“Dahl sucks?” She said with incredibly good pronunciation, that could only have come from saying it a lot.

“No, no, the _other_ other thing.”

Angel gave him a pitiful look of misunderstanding.

“‘ _I’m sorry_ ’, Angel.”

“Why you sorry, daddy?” She replied almost immediately. Jack sputtered for a moment until catching the tiny smile that crossed the child’s lips. “ _I’m sorry,_ daddy. And, Rice.” She added, turning and giving Rhys a sincere smile.

Rhys nodded, reaching out to ruffle up her hair, without considering how Jack might feel about him being so casual towards her. “No harm, no foul, little one.”

“Oh yes, now to deal with you, Ricey.” Jack finally acknowledged him again, but his attention was still on his daughter as he lifted her up, holding her against his side. “What do you think we should with 'em, cupcake?” Angel made a seriously thoughtful look before leaning in and whispering into her father’s ear whatever her thoughts were. “Is that so? You sure, Angel?” She gave a definite nod. “Alright. Say, kiddo, you do work for Hyperion, right?” Here he finally rested his eyes on Rhys.

Although it didn’t seem the best idea, he spoke his mind. “Yup. Middle management. Which, ha ha, I should probably get back too. Work and stuff.” He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to signify his desire to jump ship.

“Nah, don’t bother.” Was the only reply.

“D- don’t bother?” Rhys asked, unsure if he actually wanted an answer.

“Yeah, you’re fired.” Jack shifted his daughter’s weight, still staring at Rhys with an unreadable expression. Both of them seemed to be staring at him like he was a bug under glass.

He was floored. He was fired? Just like that? But as far as his knowledge was concerned, there was only one way that someone lost a job on Helios. Especially when it was the CEO of the company who was firing you- in person no less. “Oh.” He nodded, drowning in his inner monologue of how impossible this was, but he projected an air of neutral stability.  
Jack mimed his nodding, moving to walk around him, but paused dead in front of him instead.

“You’ll start your new job as my PA asap. Your main detail will be keeping a careful eye on this little one here.”

Rhys was certain that the amount of times his heart had stopped in this short span of time was terrible for his health. “Your PA? Me? A- are you sure I’m qualified?”  
Jack slapped a heavy hand on Rhys’ shoulder, his smile none to kind. “For your sake, you’d better hope so. I’d hate to loose two PA’s in one day.”

Rhys looked from the man that stood just a touch too close, then to the girl in his arms, who immediately stuck a thumbs up in his face. “Me, daddy, and Rice!”

Rhys gave an ever so obviously forced smile. “Yay…” He added quietly as Jack’s hand left his shoulder and finally tuned to actually leave the small green park. He spoke openly to his daughter, asking what they should do with the rest of the day. Rhys, who was still trying to process the direction his life had just taken, watched dumbly as they walked away.

It was just before the pair would have left the area that Handsome Jack paused, looking around as if he’d lost something, until his eyes fell on blank faced Rhys. “Oh, I’m sorry, what part of 'you start asap’ wasn’t clear enough for you, kitten?” He called back in a mock apologetic tone.

Rhys’ brows rose in unison before his mouth made a perfect 'o’ shape. He then jolted forward, his face flustered as he quickly caught up. “Sorry, sorry…” He giggled unintentionally as he fell half a step behind Jack’s even stride- as he assumed a PA would.

“Off to a poor start there, Rhysie.” Jack said, and although his tone invoked caution, he’d also ended it with a wink. Rhys just assumed being in such close proximity to Angel must put the otherwise terrifying man in a more tolerant mood.

“Sorry… Sir. Do you think I should invest in a clipboard, or notebook so I can remind myself of the dos and don'ts of the job?”

“Nah, I’m sure my old PA’s should be somewhere, feel free to use that. After all-” Here he put a hand over one of Angel’s ears, holding her head against him before continuing, “I really don’t think they’ll have much of a use for it anymore.”

Despite the seriousness of the implication, Rhys found his lips quirking into a smile. “Neat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's all, kiddies!


End file.
